Time to break up with your toxic makeup?

Everyone needs a BFF, right? Someone who’s got your back. Who covers your flaws. Who lets you shine. But what if that best friend was slowly poisoning you? And you didn’t even know? News flash! For most women, their makeup IS THAT FRIEND. That’s why this Spring it’s time to “break up with your toxic makeup” and “Spring Clean your Beauty Bag”. You’ll be SO glad you did!**

** Not Spring? No worries! The best time to break up with your toxic makeup was yesterday. But today comes in a close second!

Beauty to die for, Darling!

Go back in time to Queen Victoria’s era and the ultimate beauty routine started with a face wash – using straight ammonia! Then it was on with the thick foundation – which was full of white lead. Great for the complexion! And of course, mercury was SO handy for getting rid of those annoying spots and blemishes. Talk about being a victim of fashion! Thank goodness we know better now… or do we?

For countless generations wearing makeup has meant covering your skin in harsh, even toxic, chemicals. Many popular makeup brands today still use synthetic ingredients and potentially toxic ingredients in their products. Some cosmetic industry groups reason that the toxins in their products are in such small amounts that they aren’t dangerous. So, what’s the big deal?

It’s what you do every day

The problem is that the average woman uses 12 personal care products every day. Many use more. And each of these products can be loaded with toxic chemicals. This leads to what is known as chronic low-level exposure to these chemicals and that’s a very BIG deal. We should be concerned.

One concern is that we lack sufficient research on the effects of chronic exposure to these chemicals over the long term.

Another concern is that we don’t know how many of these harmful ingredients make their way into our bodies. Many people are under the mistaken impression that their skin is an impenetrable barrier against chemicals. However, according to an FDA report on the effects of chemical sunscreens, many chemicals can and do absorb into the bloodstream through the skin.

Now you might be thinking, “Okay, but if that’s true, wouldn’t the Governments ban cosmetics that contain chemicals linked to health problems?”

You’re right that the Government does take steps to try to protect consumers from harmful chemicals. For example, the European Union has banned more than 1,300 ingredients, including ingredients like mercury and methylene chloride. But the number of new ingredients increases by thousands each year and regulators simple can’t keep up.

It’s true that you’re exposed to toxic chemicals every day, but you can reduce your exposure if you know what they are and where they are. And this is especially important when it comes to products that you are putting on your skin every day. 

Break up with your toxic makeup

Unfortunately, it’s not enough to simply look for a “non-toxic” or “natural” claim on the label. These claims aren’t regulated by the Government, so you’ll have to be a label sleuth and learn how to identify dodgy ingredients yourself.

You’ll want to avoid these questionable chemicals: 

• Bismuth: Is a pearlising agent added to makeup and produces a high shine. Bismuth and its salts can cause kidney damage, although the degree of such damage is usually mild. Large doses can be fatal. 
• Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA): Some lipsticks contain the preservative butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), which is causes cancer in high doses.
• Phthalates (DBP, DEHP, DEP and others): A class of chemicals used to make products more pliable or to make fragrances linger longer. Phthalates disrupt the endocrine system and may cause birth defects. Found in: synthetic fragrance and fragranced household products. If your makeup has a smell it more than likely contains a phthalate or two.
• Parabens (methyl-, isobutyl-, propyl- and others): Preservatives commonly used to prevent the growth of bacteria and mould. They’re endocrine disruptors. That means they may change hormone mechanisms and even interfere with male reproduction. Found in: shampoo, face cleanser, body wash, body lotion, and foundation.
• Parfum/Fragrance: Synthetic fragrances that have been linked to asthma, allergies, skin irritation, diabetes, obesity, cancer, nervous system, respiratory, and endocrine disruption. Fragrances may contain any combination of 3,000-plus chemical ingredients. The scary fact is – companies don’t have to disclose the fragrance formula because it’s protected under Federal law’s classification of trade secrets.

Join the clean beauty movement and say goodbye to toxic makeup

Reading labels is not just time-consuming, it’s also stressful! The good news is I found a simpler and easier way to break up with my toxic makeup. That is – I buy from a company who’s already done the research and simply won’t include any nasty ingredients.

Over the last few decades, we’ve seen the rise of clean beauty and Young Living are leading the clean beauty revolution by not only avoiding the mainstream questionable ingredients altogether, but also taking a deeper look at what you should really be putting on your skin to nourish it. This means they’ve banned even more ingredients than the 1,328 prohibited by the European Union. They’ve banned more than 2,500 ingredients and even some ‘natural ingredients’ other clean makeup companies use.

Makeup should be all about letting your favourite features shine, which is why Young Living will only use authentic ingredients to create their cosmetics.

With Savvy Minerals by Young Living®, you can be confident you are part of The NEW Standard in Clean Beauty™. Savvy products are non-toxic, vegan friendly, ideal for sensitive skin, and formulated without ingredients like parabens, petrochemicals, and synthetic fragrances. In a word, they are CLEAN! Not only that, but Savvy Minerals also leads the industry with high-performance makeup, making the switch to clean beauty products that much easier. So they’re not just healthier and cleaner… it’s BETTER!

Savvy Minerals by Young Living®

My friends and I have switched to Savvy and we all agree – we could never go back.

So here are some of my Savvy favourites:

• Liquid foundation 
  What used to be a pipe dream among clean beauty enthusiasts is now a reality! Liquid foundation in 13 gorgeous shades with a dewy finish and buildable coverage? We’ll take ten, please!
• Liquid concealer
  Cover up spots, fake a good night’s sleep, and hide blemishes with this easy-to-blend formula. This liquid concealer won’t crease, cake, settle into fine lines, or flake. We know it sounds too good to be true; but trust us, it isn’t.
• Volumizing Mascara:
  “I wish my eyelashes had less volume” said no one ever! This all-natural mascara is formulated to build volume with every application for the full lashes of your dreams.
• Eyeshadow palettes
  Discover the Savvy Eyeshadow Palettes—four rich shades in a pressed-powder formula that will keep you looking gorgeous anywhere you wear it.

Why Does Ethical Sourcing Matter?

Clean Beauty goes beyond avoiding toxic ingredients. Sourcing ingredients ethically and sustainably is important to Young Living, and beauty products are no exception. One ingredient in many Savvy Minerals products is mica, a mineral used to add shimmer and dimension to your favorite looks. When creating these products, the Young Living Sourcing team went to great lengths to ensure that the mica used comes from ethical sources, free from exploitative conditions such as child labor or unsafe working environments. Young Living offer products that meet our standards for clean beauty as well as support ethical and sustainable practices.

P.S. It’s not just your beauty bag that contains dodgy chemicals! Click here for more info about greening and cleaning your home too.